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PA Bulletin, Doc. No. 13-1995

NOTICES

Proposed Revision to the State Implementation Plan for the Motor Vehicle Emissions Budgets in the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre 1997 Eight-Hour Ozone Maintenance Area; Public Hearing

[43 Pa.B. 6452]
[Saturday, October 26, 2013]

 The Department of Environmental Protection (Department) is revising the motor vehicle emissions budgets for the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre 1997 Eight-Hour Ozone Maintenance Area. The revised budgets, once approved by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), will allow local transportation planning agencies to better compare highway vehicle emissions in transportation plans with motor vehicle emission budgets in the State Implementation Plan (SIP). The SIP will now include highway emissions estimated using the same computer model that local planning agencies are required to use for developing their transportation plans.

 The EPA developed a new computer model, the Motor Vehicle Emissions Simulator (MOVES), that estimates emissions from highway vehicles more accurately. The Department used the former EPA-approved model, Mobile6, for estimating highway vehicles emissions in the approved maintenance plan for the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Area. Emissions of oxides of nitrogen and, in some cases, volatile organic compounds are estimated to be at higher levels by the MOVES model than the levels approved by EPA in the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Maintenance Plan. The Transportation Conformity regulation requires that emissions from updated local transportation improvement plans do not exceed the motor vehicle emissions budget in the area's approved, applicable SIP. By using the same model in transportation planning and the SIP, a more realistic comparison between the two will result, which will offer less chance of transportation projects being delayed.

 The Department is also including projected emissions from Marcellus Shale activity that were not included in the previously approved SIP revision. These emissions result from drilling and compressor station activity. In addition, the Department is including emissions that will be produced from building the proposed Bell Bend Nuclear Power Plant for that project to satisfy General Conformity requirements.

 This proposal is available on the Department's web site at www.dep.state.pa.us or through the contact persons listed as follows.

 The Department is seeking public comment on updated emissions in this proposed SIP revision, which include changes made to the motor vehicle emissions budget and inclusion of emissions from Marcellus Shale activity, and building of the proposed Bell Bend Nuclear Power Plant in the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre 1997 Eight-Hour Ozone Maintenance Plan. The Department will hold a public hearing to receive comments on the proposal on December 4, 2013, at 1 p.m. in Susquehanna Room A, Department of Environmental Protection's Northeast Regional Office, 2 Public Square, Wilkes-Barre, PA.

 Persons wishing to present testimony at the hearing should contact Alex Haas, P. O. Box 8468, Harrisburg, PA 17105, (717) 787-9495 or alehaas@pa.gov to reserve a time. If, by November 27, 2013, no person has requested to testify at the hearing, the hearing will be cancelled. If the hearing is cancelled, the Department will notify the public on the Bureau of Air Quality web page http://www.dep.state.pa.us/dep/deputate/airwaste/aq/default.htm. Witnesses should keep testimony to 10 minutes and should provide two written copies of their statement at the hearing.

 Persons with a disability who wish to attend the hearing and require an auxiliary aid, service or other accommodation to participate in the proceeding should contact Alex Haas at (717) 787-9495 or alehaas@pa.gov. TDD users may contact the Pennsylvania AT&T Relay Service at (800) 654-5984 to discuss how the Department can best accommodate their needs.

 The Department must receive comments no later than December 4, 2013. Written comments should be sent to the attention of Kirit Dalal, Chief, Division of Air Resource Management, Bureau of Air Quality, P. O. Box 8468, Harrisburg, PA 17105-8468 or kdalal@pa.gov. Use ''Scranton/Wilkes-Barre MVEB Revisions'' in the subject line.

E. CHRISTOPHER ABRUZZO, 
Acting Secretary

[Pa.B. Doc. No. 13-1995. Filed for public inspection October 25, 2013, 9:00 a.m.]


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